Apparatus for semiautomatically producing photographic type



Oct. 23, 1951 J 5 GQEIJ 2,572,322

APPARATUS FOR SEMIAUTOMATICALLY PRODUCING PHOTOGRAPHIC TYPE Filed Sept. 18, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET l /f 1 1 I;;;;f:: 14

n r J /7 I INVENTOR. Hen/'1 cu: J. A. de 6051.1 BY% mm@ Agent's Oct. 23, 1951 H 5 GQEIJ 2,572,322

" APPARATUS FOR SEMIAUTOMATICALLY PRODUCING PHOTOGRAPHIC TYPE Filed Sept. 18, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 AG EA/TS.

Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR SEMIAUTOMATICALLY PRODUCING PHOTOGRAPHIC TYPE dam, Netherlands Application September 18, 1948, Serial No. 49,985 In the Netherlands May 13, 1948 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an apparatus for semi-automatically producing photographic type. The object of the invention is to produce separate lines of type of intricate composing work on photographic film or paper, both in negative and positive, use being made of separate types set in a special composing stick and spaced at the width desired. The line thus set is projectedeither or not enlarged or reduced-on photographic film or paper by means of a special horizontal reproducing camera comprising an automatic focusing device.

The reproducing camera is provided with an elevator located adjacent the image plane and adapted to be moved vertically upwards and downwards, in which elevator a special dark slide or cassette can be placed. When a line has been set and photographed, the elevator with dark slide is moved upwards in vertical direction so far as is required to get the next line positioned below and correctly spaced from the preceding line.

In accordance with the invention, the movement of the elevator with dark slide orcassette over the correct distance is regulated by means of detents and abutments, at least one of which is coupled with the objective in order to maintain the displacement of said detent or abutment directly proportional to the displacement of the objective. This detent, for example, :may be secured to the objective carrier; it is also possible to mount a detent which is displaced by a threaded rod running parallel to the optical axis, in such a manner that the displacements of the detent and of the objective bear a constant proportion to each other; this may be achieved by coupling the threaded rod actuating the objective carrier and the threaded rod actuating the detent with each other by means of gears of different diameter. The types which are used, consist of blocks having the positive or negative character on one side or on two opposite sides. In order to facilitate hand-setting the blocks are given approximately the height of letters, e. g. about 20 mm. The blocks may be made from metal, wood or synthetic material; a synthetic material admitting of being easily sawed is preferably em loyed.

The character should stand out in marked optical contrast with the underground, e. g. opaque white and glossy deep black. The type may have any size desired, but the mechanism for moving the dark slide containing the photosensitive layer, must be in keeping with said size. The apparatus is eminently suitable for producing large type, e. g. for headlines; in such a case types having a size of 36, 42 or 48 points are preferably used.

For further illustration of the invention an embodiment of the device and of the parts used therein will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of some types, (a) representing a negative and (b) a positive type in roman, while (0) represents a negative type in italics;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the composing stick in which a number of types have been arranged;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a perspective showing of the principal parts of the mechanism.

Prior to taking a photograph, the types are set in a composing stick 2 with black or white spaces to form lines. The composing stick is then placed into the type holder 3, which by means of an automatic focussing mechanism 4 is connected with the objective holder 5 and with the rear wall 6 of the frame, which rear wall guides the carrier 9 for the photosensitive material-plate, film or paper.

The objective carrier 5 can be displaced by means of a screw spindle l, and when the objective carrier 5 is displaced, the type holder 3 is correspondingly displaced by the auto-focussing mechanism 4 actuated by the displacement of the objective carrier 5.

The types are illuminated by means of a tubular lamp 8 secured to the objective carrier 5. The dark slide or cassette 9 is placed on a bracket In which can be moved, raised or lowered, over the fixed frame wall 6. The cassette 9 is provided with a sliding cover I I for closing it. The cover may be secured to the top of frame wall 6 by means of a clip I2 and may thus be held in the raised position.

The objective carrier 5 carries the objective [4 to which a bellows I5 is attached which with its rear end is secured to the frame wall 6. The frame wall is provided with an aperture in form of a slit l6 for the passage of the rays of light reflected from the type I.

The plate holder bracket I0 is moved upwards, stepwise, by means of a toothed rack 24 secured to the bracket. Rack 24 meshes with a pinion 26 mounted on a pinion shaft. 25. A second pinion 28 is also mounted on shaft 25 which meshes with a horizontal rack 39.

It is also possible to make the horizontal toothed rack 38 engage with a pinion which by means of acceleration gears meshes with the toothed Wheel driving the vertical toothed racl This latter arrangement will be required if the path covered by the detent is considerably longer than the path to be covered by the dark slide when moving upwards to a following line.

Pinion 28 is preferably connected with its shaft 25 by means of a free wheeling mechanism or clutch 29, arranged within or at the side of pinion 28 which may thus be rotated in opposite directions by the forward or rearward'movement of rack 39. Shaft however, will be taken'along only in one direction of rotation. Rack 33 thus can actuate the vertical rack 3 in one direction only, but does not drive this rack during :the return movement. In order to prevent the vertical rack and the braclret is secured thereto from falling back, a ratchet wheel with pawl, may be coupled-either directly or by means of an acceleration gearing-to pinion 2 which drives the rack 24 carrying the bracket it which supports cassette 9.

A manipulation rod 32 is provided and extended from track to for actuating pinion 25 by means of rack 58 and pinion 28 meshing therewith, and for thus shifting the plate holder bracket Iii with cassette 9 upwards.

For limiting at each manipulation of rod 32 its stroke and thus the upward stroke of the plate holder to the extent that the plate holder is advanced one step .for bringing the succeeding section behind aperture or slit to for exposure, two couples of cooperating abutment and stop members =35, 3 5 and 22, 2i are provided.

The first couple of members, for limiting the end or" theupward stroke or fixing the beginning of the downward stroke, comprises an adjusting ring 35, a'djustably secured on the manipulating rod 32, and a stationary stop 38, secured atthe i frame.

The second couple of abutment and stop members, for limiting the end of the downward stroke or fixing the beginning of the upward stroke,

comprises an abutment member 22 on manipulating rod 32, and a detent 2! associated with the mechanism for displacing the objective.

To this purpose, the screw spindle l driving the objective "carrier 5 also rotates a second screw spindle '26 by means of the retarding gear 88 and is so that the speed of rotation of spindle is smaller than that of screw spindle '5. By means of this transmission, detent '2! is displaced on spindle 2i] proportional with the di placement of the objective on spindle In this way when, by means of manipulating rod 32, rack 38 is moved forward, to the right, rack 24 with bracket it) and cassette 9 will be moved upward one step or section, until ring 35 strikes against stop 35. posure, the manipulation rod 32 is returned to its starting position, moved to the left, rack 30 and pinion 23 may also return freely, owing to the arrangement of the free wheeling clutch 25, thus without driving pinion 2'5 and rack 2d to the starting position for the next section set by the position of detent 2! which itself is set by the displacement mechanism for the objective in accordance with the scale of magnification or reduction. The manipulation rod 32 may then again be moved forward, to the right, for bringing the succeeding film section into position for exposure.

In the mechanism described above the movement of the photo-sensitive layer is dependent When, after the exsible.

g which the abutment member 22 is secured.

The abutment member 22 can be displaced over rod 32 by means of a broad pinion which can be rotated by operating an adjusting knob 33. Pinion 2'? serving as an abutment or moving along with the abutment may thus be displaced over a short distance in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal toothed rack so by means of adjusting knob 33.

The stroke of the rectilinear movement of rod 32 and of rack so is thus determined by the position of the adjustable abutment 2 2 which co-operates with detent 2i and by abutment 35 likewise mounted on rod 32 for co-cperation with the stationary stop 36. In this device the position of the detent 2! is dependent on the position to which the objective has been adjusted by means of the screw spindle I, while the abutment member 22 may be adjusted by 'means'of the knob 33 corresponding to the height of the line.

When operating the apparatus it is desirable for the time of exposure to be independent of the ratio of magnification. This may be achieved, for example, by regulating t hestre'ngth of the current supplied to the illuminating lamps by means of a slide-resistor, 'thesliding' member of which is connected to the objective carrier. When selecting a suitable resistor an excellent regulation of the light-intensity" can be achieved, this regulation being such that the intensity of the image projected on the phot'o sensitive layer remains practically constant.

The same result, however, may also be obtained by mechanical means e. g. by so securing the illuminating lamp or lamps to the objective holder that they are located at a predetermined distance in 'front of the objective.

Furthermore it is desirable-especially when reduced photographs are taken-for the image projected on the photo-sensitive layer 'to' be screened in order to prevent any light that may be reflected by the surroundings of the types in the composing stick, from falling on the sensitive layer. This may be efiected by means of one or two screens mounted at a short distance in front of the sensitive layer and by means of which the slit through which the projected light is to pass, may be enlarged or reduced. The movement of the screens maybe derived directly from and directly proportional to the movement of the objective carrier by means of threaded rods and toothed wheels.

To this end, frame wall 6 is provided with one or more screening plates i? which will cut off the marginal pencil of rays, passing through slit Hi, to a greater or smaller extent, as ever required when the original is to be enlarged or reduced.

The screening plate ll derives its movement from a retarding transmissionnot shown which is driven by screw spindle i in o'rderto adapt the heightv of the transmitted pencil 0f rays to the height of the photographic image desired.

When the slidable metal cover ll of cassette 9 is secured at l2 to the top of frame wall 6, this cover, at the beginning of the photographing when the whole layer is still unexposed, is drawn out of the dark slide as far as possible in upward direction. The cassette 9 moved by bracket l and rack 24 stepwise upwards will then automatically slide the drawn-out cover ll back into the cassette 9 so that after the last exposure the cassette 9 is again closed entirely or substantially entirely.

The apparatus may also comprise a graduated scale from which the ratio of magnification may be read. The pointer of this scale may be actuated by the threaded rod actuating the objective carrier via some gears.

It is also desirable that the position of the photo-sensitive layer can at any time be read at the side from which the apparatus is operated; this may be effected, for example, by means of an endless and graduated thin steel strip running over a disc which is connected to the shaft to which the toothed wheel meshing with the vertical toothed rack, is also secured.

It is not necessary for the pinions 2E and 28 to have the same diameter. Pinion 28 may be larger than pinion 26; also the transmission of the movement of pinion 28 to pinion 25 may be effected via a reduction gear.

In both cases the detent 2| will have to run more slowly then, which may be achieved by a proper selection either of the ratio of the diameter of pinions I 8 and I9 or of the pitch of the screw spindle 20.

The speed of the detent 2| can even be equal to that of the objective-carrier and in that case detent 2| may be secured direct to the said objective carrier.

Generally, it is of advantage to make the path covered by the rack 30 longer than the path to be covered by the rack 24. As a result the force which is to be exerted on 32 will become smaller and the movement of the plate-holder bracket Hi will become more quiet and more accurate.

I claim:

1. A device for the production of photographic type including a type holder, a reproduction camera with bellows, objective, obiective carrier, a plate holder adapted to carry the photosensitive materialplate, film, or paper; a frame adapted to support said objective carrier and said type holder slidably thereon, mechanism for displacing said objective carrier on said frame along the optical axis and relatively to said plate holder and further mechanism associated with said type holder, with said objective carrier, and with said plate holder, for displacing, concomitantly with the displacement of the objective carrier, said type holder relatively to said objective carrier and to said plate holder, thereby to auto-focus the photographic system; said frame including a back wall, said bellows at its rear end being secured to said back wall, said back wall having an aperture shaped as a slit so as to confine a sectional image area on the photosensitive material when placed therebehind by said plate holder, shifting mechanism for holding the same against said back wall and shifting it therealong for bringing it, step by step, into juxtaposition with said aperture and exposing successive sections of the photosensitive material thereon, said plate holder including a bracket and a carrier for said photosensitive material, said shifting mechanism comprising gearing for shifting said plate holder, and actuating means for driving said gearing, said actuating means including a manipulating member disposed longitudinally of and displaceable along a direction parallel with the optical axis; two couples of co-operating abutment and stop members, one of the members of the one couple being stationary on said frame, the other adjustably secured to said manipulating member; the abutment member of the other couple being disposed on said manipulating member, the appertaining stop member being a detent, a detent support being provided for displaceably mounting thereon said detent; a transmission gearing being associated with said detent and said mechanism for displacing said objective carrier, said transmission gearing adapted to displace said detent on its support parallel to the optical axis and proportionally with the displacing of the objective carrier for setting the detent so as to limit the stroke of said manipulating member to the extent that, on actuation of said manipulating member, the plate holder gearing shifts the plate holder one step, to the succeeding section to be exposed, in accordance with the scale of reproduction set by the actuation of said objective carrier displacing and auto-focussing mechanisms.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plate holder gearing comprises a first, shiftable rack secured to said bracket, a pinion shaft mounted on said frame, a first pinion mounted on said pinion shaft and meshing with said first rack, said actuating means comprising a second pinion mounted on said pinion shaft, a second rack meshing with said second pinion and mounted on said frame and extended and displaceable in a direction parallel with said optical axis, said manipulating member being a rod extended from the last named rack in the said direction, the abutment member of said second couple being displaceably mounted on said rod and means for manually displacing said abutment member on the rod for setting the abutment member in accordance with the height of type to be photographically reproduced.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plate holder gearing comprises a first, shiftable rack secured to said bracket, a pinion shaft mounted on said frame, a first pinion mounted on said pinion shaft and meshing with said first rack, said actuating means comprising a second pinion mounted on said pinion shaft, a second rack meshing with said second pinion and mounted on said frame and extended and displaceable in a direction parallel with said optical axis, said manipulating member being a rod extended from the last named rack in the said direction, the abutment member of said second couple being displaceably mounted on said rod and means for manually displacing said abutment member on the rod for setting the abutment member in accordance with the height of type to be photographically reproduced; said second pinion being mounted on its shaft by means of a free wheeling clutch thereby to allow after each exposure step the manipulating rod with said second rack to be shifted back, freely without driving said plate holder gearing in either direction, into the starting position where the abutment member of the second couple abuts against the detent, whereupon, by' shifting the manipulating rod with said second rack in the other direction, until the abutment member of the first couple abuts against the stationary stop member, the plate holder is shifted by means of said plate holder gearing a further step over said aperture for the exposure of the succeeding section of the photosensitive material.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one screening plate is disposed at said back wall and adjacent at least one longitudinal edge of said slit, displacing means associated with said screening plate and with said objective carrier displacing mechanism for coupling both and adapted to displace said screening plate over and back from said edge, thereby to adjust the height of said slit and, by cutting off the marginal light beam, to delimit the image area in accordance with the scale of reproduction.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said carrier for the photosensitive material is a cassette of a height sufiicient to bring successive sections into the image area confined by said aperture, said frame back wall being extended above and below said image area to a height so as to cover said cassette as well in its lowermost as in its uppermost position, said cassette having a slide cover, holding means at the top of said back Wall whereby said cover is held in drawn position at the cassette, when the cassette is held by said bracket in its lowermost position and is gradually slid into the cassette as the cassette is raised by said bracket, step by step, for exposure of the successive sections, and, conversely, is slid out of the cassette when the cassette is lowered.

HENRICUS J. A. DE GOEIJ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,107,520 Holst Aug. 18, 1914 1,986,693 Uher Jan. 1, 1935 2,158,039 Wenszler May 9, 1939 

